The Arabian Nights Entertainments - Anonymous (best novels to read in english .TXT) 📗

were thus agreeably employed, when they perceived, at some distance from the dome, a company of ladies richly apparelled, each of them sitting upon a seat of Indian wood, inlaid with silver wire in figures, with instruments of music in their hands, expecting orders to play. They both advanced to the jet which fronted the ladies, and on the right they saw a large court, with a stair up from the garden, encompassed with beautiful apartments. The slave having retired, and left them alone, they entered into conversation: As to you, who are a wise man, said the prince of Persia to Ebn Thaher, I doubt not but that you look with much satisfaction upon all these marks of grandeur and power. For my part, I do not think there is any thing in the world more surprising. But when I consider that this is the glorious habitation of the lovely Schemselnihar, and that he who keeps her here is the greatest monarch of the earth, I confess to you that I look upon myself to be the most unfortunate of all mankind; that no destiny can be more cruel than mine, in loving an object possessed by a rival, and that too in a place where he is so potent, that I cannot think myself sure of my life one moment!

Ebn Thaher hearing the prince of Persia speak, said to him, Sir, I wish you could give me as good an assurance of the happy success of your amours, as I can give you of the safety of your life. Though this stately palace belongs to the caliph, who built it on purpose for Schemselnihar, and called it the palace of eternal pleasures, and that it makes part of his own palace, yet you must know that this lady lives here at entire liberty; she is not surrounded by eunuchs as spies over her; this is her own particular house, which is absolutely at her disposal: she goes into the city when she pleases, and returns again, without asking leave of any body; and the caliph never comes to see her without sending Mesrour, the chief of his eunuchs, to give her notice, that she may be prepared to receive him. Therefore you may be easy, and give full attention to the concert of music, which I perceive, Schemselnihar is preparing on purpose for you.

Just as Ebn Thaher spoke these words to the prince of Persia, they observed the favourite's trusty slave coming with orders for the ladies to begin singing and playing on the instruments, which they instantly obeyed, and all began playing together as a preludium; after which, one of them began singing alone, at the same time playing admirably well upon her lute, having been before advertised of the subject on which she was to sing. The words were so agreeable to the prince of Persia's sentiments, that he could not forbear applauding her at the end of the stave. Is it possible, cried he, that you have the gift of knowing people's hearts, and that the knowledge of what is in my mind has occasioned you to give us a taste of your charming voice by those words? Were I to choose, I should not express myself otherwise. The lady made no reply, but went on, and sung several other staves, with which the prince was so much affected, that he repeated some of them with tears in his eyes, which plainly discovered that he applied them to himself. When she had made an end, she and her companions rose up, and sung all together, signifying by their words that the full moon was going to rise in all her splendour, and that they should speedily see her approach the sun; by which it was meant that Schemselnihar was just coming, and that the prince of Persia should have the pleasure of seeing her.

In effect, as they were looking towards the court, they saw Schemselnihar's confident coming towards them, followed by ten black women, who, with much difficulty, carried a throne of massy silver most curiously wrought, which they set down, before them at a certain distance; upon which the black slaves retired behind the trees to the entrance of a walk. After this there came twenty handsome ladies, all alike most elegantly apparelled: they advanced in two rows, singing and playing upon instruments which each of them held in her hand; and, coming near the throne, ten of them sat down on each side of it.

All these things kept the prince of Persia and Ebn Thaher in very great suspense, both of them being impatient to know how they would end. In this state of anxious expectation, they saw ten handsome ladies, well dressed, come out of the same gate whence the ten black women came, where they stopped for a few moments, expecting the favourite, who came out last, and placed herself in the midst of them.

Schemselnihar was easily distinguished from the rest by her fine shape and majestic air, as well as by a sort of mantle, of very fine stuff of gold and sky-blue, fastened to her shoulders over her other apparel, which was the most handsome, best contrived, and most magnificent, that could be thought of. The pearls, rubies, and diamonds, with which she was adorned, though few in number, were well chosen, and of inestimable value, and were displayed in excellent order. She came forward with a majesty resembling the sun in his course amidst the clouds, which receive his splendour without hiding his lustre, and seated herself on the silver throne that was brought for her.

As soon as the prince of Persia beheld Schemselnihar, nothing else could attract his notice: We cease inquiring after what we seek, said he to Ebn Thaher, when we see it; and there is no doubt remaining when once the truth makes itself manifest. Do you see this charming beauty? She is the cause of all my sufferings, which I hug, and will never forbear blessing them, however lasting they may be! At the sight of this object, I am not my own master; my soul rebels, and disturbs me; and I fancy it has a mind to leave me! Go then, my soul, I allow thee; but let it be for the welfare and preservation of this weak body! It is you, cruel Ebn Thaher, who are the cause of this disorder! You thought to do me great pleasure in bringing me hither, and I perceive I am only come to complete my ruin! Pardon me, said he, interrupting himself; I am mistaken: I was willing to come, and can blame nobody but myself. At these words, he could not refrain from tears. I am very well pleased, said Ebn Thaher, that you do me justice; when at first I told you that Schemselnihar was the caliph's chief favourite, I did it on purpose to prevent that fatal passion which you please yourself with entertaining in your breast. All that you see here ought to disengage you, and you are to think of nothing but of acknowledgments for the honour which Schemselnihar was willing to do you, by ordering me to bring you with me. Call in, then, your wandering reason, and put yourself in a condition to appear before her, as good-breeding requires. Behold, there she comes! Were the matter to begin again, I would take other measures; but, since the thing is done, I wish we may not repent of it. What I have further to say to you is this, that love is a traitor, who may throw you into a pit from which you will never be able to escape.

Ebn Thaher had not time to say more, because Schemselnihar came, and, sitting down upon her throne, saluted them both with an inclination of the head; but she fixed her eyes on the prince of Persia, and they spoke to one another in a silent language, intermixed with sighs; by which, in a few moments, they spoke more than could have been done by words in a great deal of time. The more Schemselnihar looked upon the prince, the more she found from his looks that he was in love with her; and, being thus persuaded of his passion, thought herself the happiest woman in the world. At last, turning her eyes from him to command the women who began to sing first to come near; they got up, and whilst they advanced, the black women, who came out of the walk into which they retired, brought their seats, and set them near the window, in the jet of the dome, where Ebn Thaher and the prince of Persia stood; and then they so disposed them on each side of the favourite's throne, that they formed a semicircle.

The women who were sitting before she came, took each of them their places again, with the permission of Schemselnihar, who ordered them by a sign. That charming favourite chose one of these women to sing; who, after she had spent some moments in tuning her lute, played a song, the meaning whereof was, that two lovers, who entirely loved each other, and whose affection was boundless, their hearts, though in two bodies, were one and the same; and, when any thing opposed their desires, could say, with tears in their eyes, if we love, because we find one another amiable, ought we to be blamed for this? Let destiny bear the blame.

Schemselnihar discovered so well, by her eyes and gestures, that these sayings ought to be applied to her and the prince of Persia, that he could not maintain himself; he rose, and came to a balluster, which he leaned upon, and obliged one of the women, who came to sing, to observe him. When she was near him, Follow me, said he to her, and do me the favour to accompany with your lute a song which you shall forthwith hear. Then he sang with an air so tender and passionate, as perfectly expressed the violence of his love. When he had done, Schemselnihar, following his example, said to one of the women, Follow me likewise, and accompany my voice; at the same time she sung after such a manner, as further pierced the heart of the prince of Persia, who answered her by a new air as passionate as the former.

These two lovers declared their mutual affection by their songs. Schemselnihar yielded to the force of hers; she rose from her throne, and advanced towards the door of the hall. The prince, who knew her design, rose likewise, and went towards her in all haste. They met at the door, where they took each other by the hand, embracing with so much passion, that they fainted, and would have fallen, if the women who followed them had not helped them. But they were supported and carried to a sofa, where they were brought to themselves again, by throwing odoriferous water upon their faces, and giving them other things to smell.

When they came to themselves, the first tiling that Schemselnihar did was to look about; and not seeing Ebn Thaher, she asked, with a great deal of concern, where he was. He had withdrawn out of respect, whilst her women were applying things to recover her, and dreaded, not without reason, that some troublesome consequence might attend what had happened; but as soon as he heard Schemselnihar ask for him, he came forward, and presented himself before her.

Schemselnihar was very well pleased to see Ebn Thaher, and expressed her joy in these terms: Kind Ebn Thaher, I do not know how to make amends for the great obligation you have put upon me: without you I should never have seen the prince of Persia, nor have loved him who is the most amiable person in the world; but you may assure yourself, however, that I shall not die ungrateful, and that my acknowledgment, if possible, shall be equal to the obligation. Ebn Thaher answered this compliment by a low bow, and wished the favourite the accomplishment of all her desires.

Schemselnihar, turning towards the prince of Persia, who sat by her, and looking upon him with some sort of confusion, after what had passed between them, said to him, Sir, I am very well assured you love me; and, however great your love may be to me, you need not doubt but mine is as great towards you; but let us not flatter ourselves; for, though we are both agreed, yet I see nothing for you and me but trouble, impatience, and tormenting grief. There is no other remedy for our evils but to love one another constantly, to refer ourselves to the disposal of Heaven, and to wait till it shall determine our destiny. Madam, replied the prince of Persia, you will do me the greatest injustice in the world if you doubt but one moment of the continuance of my love. It is so united to my soul,